Refugees spotted off Cape Greco

A vessel with about 80 presumptive refugees on board was spotted on Monday off Cape Greco in eastern Cyprus.

According to local media, a boat in the 30-foot category was picked up by radar in the Republic of Cyprus on Monday morning, with coast guard officials expecting the vessel to reach shore around 12:30pm.

Reports said officials estimated that some 80 undocumented migrants, presumed to be refugees, were on the boat that was seen some 20 nautical miles northeast of Cape Greco.

A coast guard vessel was said to be escorting the boat to Larnaca port, where state officials from Immigration as well as medics and Civil Defence volunteers gathered to make first contact.

Based on typical procedures in the past, the presumptive refugees are expected to be interviewed and processed on the spot and undergo medical checks before being transported to Pournara camp in Kokkinotrimithia, rural Nicosia.

Last month, a hundred refugees from Syria including women and children reached Protaras and were later taken to Kokkinotrimithia. About a week later, Turkish media in the north said 33 Syrian males, who were detained for several days, were refused entry and were taken to Famagusta port to be deported.

Last week, Interior Minister Nicos Nouris said a new migration policy was being drafted as a response to what he described as an effort to “curb the flows” of economic migrants.